The present disclosure relates to three-wheeled vehicles. A three-wheeled vehicle may have two rear wheels and a single front wheel, or two front wheels and a single rear wheel. The three-wheeled vehicles disclosed herein are characterized by two front wheels and a single rear wheel.
A three-wheeled vehicle may have straddle-type seating or conventional seating. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,648,148 and 7,464,781, which disclose a three-wheeled vehicle having straddle-type seating, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,695,746, and 7,588,110, which disclose three-wheeled vehicles having conventional seating; in each case, the complete disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The present disclosure relates to three-wheeled vehicles including a cockpit with one or more recumbent seats.
A three-wheeled vehicle has a generally triangular footprint, which gives rise to unique physical dynamics that implicate the stability and handling of the vehicle. These physical dynamics can lead to suboptimum handling characteristics, which may even render a three-wheeled vehicle unsafe for the average driver. This is of concern to the industry, because three-wheeled vehicles are gaining increasing popularity. A segment of three-wheeled vehicles are emerging with various high performance features that enable the vehicle to offer an exhilarating experience that some may compare to driving a racecar.
There is therefore a need to provide three-wheeled vehicles having high performance features, and which also address vehicle stability and handling issues so as to provide an enjoyable and safe driving experience for skilled as well as average drivers. These needs are addressed by the present disclosure.